South African medical groups blame the poor health system for the rising number of diabetes in the country.

South Africa's public health care system has failed diabetic patients, Executive Manager of Diabetes South Africa Leigh-Ann Bailie said in a statement Thursday to mark the World Diabetes Day.

The patients' blood sugar levels are not measured regularly and they are often amputated when they get diabetic limbs, Bailie added.

What is also worrying is that many patients are not aware of their disease, Bailie added.

Many patients in the country have either never tested for diabetes or have been misdiagnosed, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa.

Anika Barnard, a dietician of the foundation, told the South African Broadcasting Corporation that heart disease and strokes are the leading causes of death among diabetics.

An estimated 1.5 million South Africans are living with diabetes and are not even aware of it, according to Barnard.

In the age group of 55 to 64 years, the incidence is even larger where one in four people are at risk for diabetes, he said.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are more than 346 million diabetes patients globally. Endi

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